


Heaven forbid I leave you alone

by Spartian_Outlaw



Series: Petals like ash [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff, How Do I Tag, M/M, Oops, Post-Recall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 05:12:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16825840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spartian_Outlaw/pseuds/Spartian_Outlaw
Summary: Seven years have passed and Jesse's poor heart can't take the loneliness anymore.His saving grace comes in the form of a call.





	Heaven forbid I leave you alone

**Author's Note:**

> Wassup.
> 
> This is the second part from 'Renegade Heartache'. If you haven't read that, you probably should lol. This part doesn't focus on much on Hanahaki, but rather Genji and Jesse trying hard to rekindle the relationship they once had back in Blackwatch. 
> 
> I apologise this isn't as long or as good as the first part. :(( I tried lol
> 
> Also a note, just like last time, when the text between quotation marks are italic, it means the character speaking is speaking in another language. Other than that, italics are used for emphasis.

It happened on a Saturday morning. The rude awakening of unwanted alarms filled the quiet air. It made Jesse on edge, quickly waking from his sleep to shut that offending sound off. He noticed the offending device was none other than his old comm he was commissioned to utilize during his time in Blackwatch.  
  
He still doesn't know why he never got rid of it. Maybe he was a sad, sentimental man who hasn't learned when to stop living in the past. Maybe it's that constant feeling that maybe, just maybe, the possibility of Overwatch coming back was plausible. Jesse allows himself to think about the comm before dismissing it. He pockets the device and begins to set off to another place, because heaven forbid those damn bounty hunters catch up to him.  
  
He reaches for his hat with a pained sigh when he notices that letter he almost forgot about. Another piece of his past he never allowed himself to let go of. Genji. Oh Genji. Once he pissed off without a goodbye, Jesse expected the petals to come back and torture him about how love was never meant for him until he dropped dead from exactly that, but seven years later, Hanahaki hasn't reared it's ugly head.  
  
"Damn bastard's gotta be 'round here somewhere." A voice sounds from outside Jesse's current hiding spot. He doesn't know if it's his age that makes him slow or if it's always been a habit of his, that he hasn't noticed he thinks too much because there is no Gabriel or Genji to stop him from thinking too much.  
  
" _Shit_." Jesse hisses before he bolts. The last thing he wants is to give the law the satisfaction it desires in the form of his head. He waits for the hunter to be far enough for him to sneak away quietly and quickly as his spurs let him. Thinking he's gotten away, he hears the cocking of guns behind him.  
  
"You ain't goin' nowhere McCree. Give up." Jesse almost smirks. He can't count how many times he's heard that before.  
  
"Ya sure 'bout that?" Was what he fired back, quickly turning and stunning the hunter with a flashbang. Gabriel used to always berate Jesse for the use of such things, always using the ' _it's so outdated_ ' argument, but never could he ever deny how effective flashbangs were. Quickly taking out a thug with a punch to the face with his metal fist, Jesse quickly attempts to get out of whatever Shitstorm he unintentionally started.  
  
If there's anything Jesse has learned in the past seven years, it's that bounty hunters travel in packs. Literally. Never has Jesse come to dealing with just one hunter. There was always seven, all desperate to get whatever money they could get their hands on, dirty or not. Jesse quickly discovers there are six more after him.   
  
"Why isn't he dead yet? Damn useless, I tell ya!" He hears another hunter carry on. Jesse makes his way to the highest point he has access to. Once he finds a suitable spot, he quickly assesses his surroundings. The hunters are spread out beneath him. He's quick to pick out all of them since they all stand out against the orange-red sand of the New Mexico desert.  
  
Three magic words and all of them drop to the ground, a bullet nestled neatly in between their eyes. Deadeye never fails. "Ya'll never follow up on your promises." Jesse frowns to himself, talking to no one in particular. "Better work on ya aim."  
  
~  
  
It's always silent in the country side of New Mexico. Jesse could always appreciate the cool nights in the desert. After having a couple of pity sips from his wiskey, Jesse finds himself shifting the very familiar note in his hands. The paper is worn with small tears in the corners. Despite his bitterness, Jesse could never bring himself to toss it in a bin. He's tried but could never follow through. Jesse would be damned to say it's the only piece of Genji he still has.  
  
Which bring him to addressing his ancient comm device. Jesse's finally able to gather the courage to see the message. It's from Winston. He double checks the date, making sure it's not several years old.  
  
It sure isn't.  
  
Jesse opens the message and it comes up with a video of Winston. He's sure grown up, Jesse thinks.

~  
  
It takes a while, but Jesse makes it to Gibraltar, with only a detour to Barcelona and a mistaken hitchhike that left Jesse lost in Denmark for a week.  
  
But in the end, Jesse made it. The familiar salty scent the sea greets his nose and the pristine white of the structures glares at him. The sudden flood of memories pains him like what Hanahaki once did to his chest. The sharp pains the disease gave him is no longer that, but a dull ache of longing greets him instead.  
  
"Jesse? Is that you?"  
  
It's Lena. Jesse could tell that accent without even trying. He lets a smile slip before he opens his arms. "Couldn't be more right."  
  
"Jesse!" She squeaks, sprinting towards him and barrels into his chest. He expects her to comment on how dirty he is, but instead he's given a wide smile. "I can't believe it! You've come back!"  
  
"Aw, y'know I can't leave ya'll behind. Living my life on the run was gettin' too boring."  
  
"Oh you," Lena slaps his chest, pulling away from her death grip. "Of course that's what you get up to."  
  
Jesse realises how much he misses having proper human contact. It makes him feel warm, an emotion he hasn't felt since... no, Jesse shakes his head mentally, he's tired of thinking about things that hurt him.  
  
~  
  
It doesn't take long for Jesse to settle in again. Being deprived of proper human contact really did some numbers to him. Seeing old friends such as Lena, Angela, Winston, Reinhardt, hell, even Torbjörn made Jesse feel secure.  
  
There are rooms that are left untouched, and obvious missing members are not talked about. Which is understandable, since even so many years later, the subject of Gabriel leaves a bitter taste in Jesse's mouth. That's not to say the Watchpoint is empty without them, no, there are new faces here. Jesse has come across Torbjörn's daughter, a MEKA pilot from South Korea, Fareeha and a DJ who is apparently world famous. Jesse realises how out of touch he's become.  
  
Overall, it is obvious most of the Watchpoint has been neglected, paint peeling off walls and dust covering almost everything. But with a little elbow grease, the Watchpoint is quickly cleaned up.  
  
Jesse slumps down on his bed after a long day and notices something very obvious; Genji is absent. Jesse had asked Winston if he ever sent out the call to Genji, instead of an answer, the scientist avoided the subject. That made Jesse panic. What if he cut all contact with Overwatch, and threw away his communicator? What if Genji had died when he left?  
  
His thoughts were broken by knocking at the door. "Jesse?" The person doesn't wait for him to answer and opens the door. It's Angela. "You left this in the common room." She reveals his hat. She chucks it at him, and brings up a note. "This was also inside it. It looks like you've never opened it."  
  
"Hey, don't go snoopin' through my things." Jesse quickly gets up and snatches the note from Angela's hands.  
  
"It's from Genji. Have you two been talking?" Her tone softens. Jesse notices her pitying expression. Jesse stays silent, opting to ignore the question. "Jesse... I'm your friend, you can tell me anything."  
  
"No." He says. "No we haven't. He left that note before he left all those years ago." It's vivid in his mind. Genji's side of the bed is warm, but he wasn't there. In place of him, that damn note stared back at him.  
  
"You should read it." Jesse looks down at Angela, his brow raises. "I'm sure it's important." She watches him, expecting. It takes a few moments of her staring at him before he gives in.  
  
"Fine! Fine. If it'll keep ya quiet." Jesse's careful when opening the note, the paper quite delicate from being so worn out. He unfolds it and stares down at the letters. They're all like runes to him. Jesse tries to make sense of what's in front of him, but he comes up with nothing.  
  
"Well?" Angela asks after a while. "What does it say?" Jesse can tell there's not a lot written on the paper, it doesn't contain paragraphs. Just some sentences.  
  
"Uhh..." he stalls. "Angela, I can't..."  
  
"You can't read that, can you?" She offers. Jesse feels a wave of embarrassment. He looks up, expecting to see Angela holding back giggles, but her face is neutral. She heaves a sigh.  
  
"I'm going to take that as a yes." She says. "You never went to school, did you?" Jesse shakes his head.  
  
"My parents were too poor to send me off to school, and by the time I was seven, they were killed." He says bitterly. "And it's not like I needed an education to stay alive in Deadlock."  
  
"Well! You know what this means?" Angela says, her voice lightening to a cheerful tone. Jesse has a bad feeling. "Looks like I'm not only going to be your doctor, but your teacher as well!"  
  
"You really don't-"  
  
"Yes I do, now, I'm sure I can find some old children's books around here for you."  
  
~  
  
Genji always favoured night time. Up in the Himalayas, with the glittering snow decorating the mountains around the Nepal villiage, it's quiet. Most of the monks had gone to 'sleep' leaving Genji the only one awake.  
  
The past seven years have been... something Genji had never expected. He never thought he'd end up in a religious monastery in butt fuck nowhere in the mountains. He never thought he'd develop such a close relationship with anyone outside of Angela and Jesse. Zenyatta has taught him much. He had patience when Genji would give him a hard time, and for that, Genji appreciates it.  
  
" _What was it like being a part of Overwatch?_ "  
  
Ah, Genji looks at his Brother, who is sitting quietly beside him. After that night in Hanamura, Hanzo had contacted him a few weeks later. Genji was somewhat proud that he managed to convince his emotionally unstable brother to join him.  
  
Genji would be lying if he wasn't somewhat excited to forge a new relationship with Hanzo. " _It was,_ " Genji thinks for a moment. Although he hated being a part of Overwatch, Jesse's presence had made it a little more bearable for someone like him. " _I wasn't in the right mind to appreciate much, but the people there are quite friendly."_  
  
" _Ah_ ," was all Hanzo said. They return back to silence. It wasn't painfully awkward, Genji felt comfortable with Hanzo beside him.  
  
" _We are leaving for Gibraltar tomorrow_." Genji speaks up. For several years, has Genji been somewhat feverish to possibly meet Jesse again. Genji knows he'd made a poor choice, leaving Jesse without a word, but left him with some stupid letter. But it was Genji's job to make things right with Jesse, to rekindle their relationship and turn it into something more meaningful.  
  
Hanzo nods in acknowledgement. " _I'm looking forward to warmer weather_." He attempts to smile. Genji almost laughs.  
  
" _Yes brother."_  
  
~  
  
There's ruckus again. Something about 'new comers'. Jesse was too busy with the literal mountain of children's books Angela dumped on him. "I'm going to greet the new agents, you keep reading those books." Angela had said before she left.  
  
"I'm on it." Jesse says. He stares down at the book. He's recently learned the alphabet song, and staring at the page for ten seconds, he can recognise some letters. Angela had noted how quick he was at learning, how 'unnatural' it was. Jesse's egotistical side wants to boast that he's just naturally smart, that he didn't need to go to school to be intelligent as he is.  
  
There's no warning when the door of his room opens. Jesse's head snaps up, his hand meeting his revolver that sits next to him. It's become another bad habit of his to assume everyone's out to get him. "Who'zit?" He drawls.  
  
The man? Omnic? Stands at the door. He's covered in pristine, slick armor. A visor covers his face, and looking closer at the person, Jesse realises that it is indeed a human. The green that accents the guy's body reflects off the doorway. The man is silent for a moment, before he croaks out a quiet: "Jesse?"  
  
Jesse felt like a deer caught in the headlights. He gasps for breath. He knows that voice. That same voice that used to chastise him, the same voice he used to hear first thing in the morning. "Genji? Darlin', you're..." he sputtered.  
  
They don't move for a long time. Genji moves first, dashing towards Jesse and knocks him over. 

He throws his arms around Jesse's neck. "Jesse, it's been so long." Jesse quickly acknowledges the fact that Genji no longer carries a dark aura. His voice no longer sounds grating or angry.  
  
Jesse notices that Genji is finally at ease. He's happy.  
  
"Darlin'." Jesse repeats, slowly dragging his arms around Genji's waist, dropping the book that was in his grasp. "Where have you been?"  
  
Genji pulls back. The green slit of his visor flickers. "You... did not read the letter I left, did you?" Genji takes Jesse's silence as a yes. He sighs. "I... I know leaving a letter was stupid of me I-" Genji's head turns. He finally noticed the mountain of children's books and alphabet charts lying around. "Oh." He mutters. "Oh."  
  
Jesse hears another voice at the door. Whoever it is, he was speaking in what Jesse assumed was Japanese. Genji turns and utters an 'ah,' before he averted his gaze back to Jesse. "Who's that?" Jesse asks. The man at the door glares at him. "Does he speak English?" The glare hardens.  
  
"That... that is my brother, Jesse." Jesse pauses for a moment. Genji hadn't spoken much of him, but when he did, Jesse recalls the bitterness that laced Genji's otherwise flat tone. Jesse is also aware that this brother of his had led Genji to become so sour and broken.  
  
Jesse stares back at the man, making sure to glare at him. "What the hell is he doin' here then?" Genji's brother makes a noise between a growl and a snort.  
  
"Jesse, please don't be so harsh. I have forgiven him." Genji is quick to defend. The vents in his shoulders hiss, an obvious sign of distress. "Hanzo... he has come to join Overwatch for redemption, if you will."  
  
"But-"  
  
Genji removes himself from Jesse's grasp. He moves his hands to the back of his head. With a click, his visor is off. Even seven years, and Genji's eyes are just as pretty as Jesse remembers them to be. Instead of piercing red, they're a warm amber colour. "Please." Genji pleaded. "Please be nice. He's the only family I have left."  
  
Jesse frowns. He glances between Genji's pleading stare, to Hanzo behind him. ".... _Fine_. For you." Genji's lips turn up into a soft smile. A silent thank you.  
  
"Now, if you excuse me, I have to help master with something." Genji takes a few steps back, his visor is back on. He says something to Hanzo before glancing back at Jesse. "I will talk to you later."  
  
Jesse nods, and Genji leaves. He stares at the pile of books beside him, before picking his book up that he had dropped before and returned back to reading. As he read, he felt conflicting emotions. He just saw Genji, a man he loved so much he almost dropped dead from it. Now he brings back the guy who left him in pieces, even after promising to cut him down in the same fashion.  
  
_Wait, since when did Genji have a Master?_  
  
Jesse groans, smacking his face with the book. "Darlin', you're gonna ruin me one o' these days."  
  
~  
  
The next time Jesse comes across Genji is a couple days later. Jesse's become restless, he wants to talk to Genji, but doesn't know how to approach him. Jesse first meets Hanzo in the training room. He's got a bow out. His stance is strong, Jesse will give him. He would also say he looks very graceful, reminiscent of how Genji handles himself. Hanzo notices Jesse's presence, he lowers his bow. "What is it that you want, _cowboy_." His gruff voice sounds through the painful silence. So he does speak English.  
  
"I'm lookin' for your brother." Hanzo mutters something in Japanese before he points toward the exit.  
  
"He will be out there, up on the roofs somewhere." With having said that, Hanzo returns back to his training. Jesse doesn't waste his time. He knows exactly where Genji would be.  
  
It doesn't take long for Jesse to spot Genji. His armor reflecting the late night moonlight. "Hey there, sweetheart." Jesse drawls, before placing himself next to Genji, his legs extended.  
  
"Hey," Genji greets softly, shifting closer to Jesse. "It has been too long."  
  
"Ya ain't lyin'" Jesse mumbles, pulling a cigarillo from his pocket and quickly lights it. Out of respect, Jesse turns his headTo blow the cloud of smoke in the opposite direction.  
  
"I'm sorry." They both utter together. Jesse pauses before he chuckles.  
  
Genji continues, "I am sorry for leaving you behind with a letter. I didn't even consider that you couldn't read the damn thing."  
  
"It ain't your fault, darlin'" Jesse reasons as he fiddles with the cigarillo in his hand. "I got where you were coming from."  
  
Genji stares at him then he glances down at Jesse's left arm. He lifts it up with gentle hands. "Your arm..." the light in Genji's visor dims. "What happened?" Jesse allows Genji to hold his arm and smiles.  
  
"That's a story for another time, darlin'" Genji stays silent for a while. He lets go of Jesse's arm to take off his visor again. He pauses again then launches himself at Jesse. It takes him a moment to process what was going on. Genji's lips were warm against his. A feeling Jesse missed so much over the past several years. He returns the kiss.  
  
"I love you so much, right?" Genji says once he pulls back. "I want you to know, that," Genji takes time to think. "That I am sorry for who I was all those years ago. I'm sorry you had to suffer from Hanahaki, I-"  
  
Jesse silences Genji's rant by pressing his lips against his. "Hush, darlin', I know." He runs his calloused hand through Genji's hair for extra comfort. Genji doesn't stop himself from leaning into his touch.  
  
The two stay close together for most of the night. Jesse has once again found comfort in the form of Genji's warm body pressed closely to his.  
  
He finally feels at home again.  
  
~  
  
It takes two more months for Jesse to have somewhat solid comprehension skills. Angela has done well teaching him through children's books to complex novels like the ancient 'How To Kill a Mockingbird'.  
  
Genji is out with his brother when Jesse finally finds that note that once plagued his mind. He stares down at it like its his worst enemy before grabbing it and opening it. It was plain and simple.  
  
' _You mean so much to me. I love you.'_  
  
Jesse let himself cry in the first time for years.


End file.
